Destiny Changing Through Time
by Lunar Adept
Summary: A/U. A world where Fate and Nanoha didn't meet until much later; a world where Precia obtained the Jewel Seeds. Now Fate must shoulder a new destiny, and with people meeting under different scenarios, what will become of the Lyrical World..?
1. Your Wish, My Life

A/N: Definition of FanFic: FICTION (a non realistic story) made by a FAN (an ardent follower and admirer) of another person's work, using that person's ideas to make an original story. As such, the only thing that the FAN owns is their respective original story and original characters; NOT the object(s) of their FANdom.

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><p>"THIS IS STRIKE ONE! WE CANNOT MAINTAIN POSITION! WE HAVE TO-ZZHHHHH"<p>

Mid-Childa was a war-zone. Bodies were everywhere, craters and flames were all that could be seen through the dirt and dust that clouded the skies. People were in a panic, running everywhere, cars and other vehicles speeding in every direction, desperate to avoid the destruction that was at hand. And yet, their efforts were to no avail, for no matter where they ran to, it was to no avail. There was no avoiding the light of judgment.

It came in an instant. Beams of white light that seemed to hail from the heavens. It's cry was silent, as was it's destruction. And every strike brought forth more destruction than the last, leaving nothing living or standing in its wake. And once again, the people of Mid-Childa's eyes widened as the light of judgment once again fell from the skies.

"CIRCLE PROTECTION!"

Just as the light came down from the clouds, several glyphs appeared high above the ground, preventing the light from descending, dissipating it along with themselves. As they watched the light disappear, the people of Mid-Childa breathed easy.

And then the light fell once more.

Without a sound, the ground was ripped asunder, people, cars, buildings all disintegrated in the blinding light. A silence so sudden that most people didn't have time to even utter a scream of terror, let alone make a futile attempt to escape. And thus everything within a few miles of the vicinity was annihilated.

Almost.

After a full minute, the light began to fade, and two figures could be seen standing on the only ground that wasn't a crater. Enclosed within magical glyphs, two figures, a dark haired boy and brown haired girl stood back to back, bloody and tattered, yet very much alive.

"This is Edge One. Requesting emergency evac!" The boy spoke aloud as he held up a sleek blackish staff. Immediately, a voice resonated around them.

"Roger that. Prepare for emergency transfer." A split second later, a glyph appeared underneath them, and they were gone from the battlefield. And inside a large ship.

The moment they appeared, they immediately jumped aside as a large group of soldiers marched past them. "I'm glad that you two are okay, Chrono, Ami."

Turning to the voice, the two saluted as they came face to face with a tall, beautiful woman with ocean green hair. "Ma'am. Edge One and Two reporting. We were unable to prevent the destruction. The sheer energy of the magic is far too vast in numbers and power. We could barely protect each other. Have we managed to pinpoint where the attacks are originating from. Admiral?"

The woman nodded, "Yes, just now we were able to trace the spell's origins to a sub-dimension far away from here. Take a look."

A screen appeared on the wall, and everyone in the room turned to it as a large asteroid-like cluster was displayed. "This is the Garden of Time. It is the home base of Precia Testarossa, a wanted criminal. She is also the one believed to be initiating the attacks on Mid-Childa."

"If we have the whereabouts, are we going to send in our battle ships to her base?" The brown-haired girl asked.

"We cannot. Unfortunately, the Garden of Time is located in the middle of Imaginary Space, a void where all magical spells, equipment, and technology becomes inoperable. Who knows how she did it, but it was genius of her to make a base there. We have no choice but to teleport our troops directly to the Garden itself. It will be dangerous, but it's the only choice we have. Enforcer Chrono Harlaown, you will be taking part in this operation along with the other marines. Your orders are to capture Precia Testarossa and anyone else that may be assisting her. Use your own judgment. Go get prepared. The operation will begin in ten minutes."

"Ma'am!"

The boy immediately exited the room. After a moment, the young girl spoke, "Admiral Harlaown...is there something bothering you? Aside from the obvious, of course."

The Admiral sighed, "I can't help but think that we're missing something. Like the attacks are just a diversion, or that-!"

BOOM!

"EMERGENCY ALERT! EMERGENCY ALERT! SHIP HAS TAKEN SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE HULL! AN INTRUDER HAS BEEN DETECTED! REPEAT! AN INTRUDER HAS BEEN DETECTED!"

Emergency lights flared to life as the Admiral's eyes turned stern. "All marines, scramble at once and intercept the intruders! Subdue them if possible, eliminate them if necessary! Squad Alpha, escort the engineers to get working on the damages!"

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><p>With swiftness unrivaled, the girl sped through the ship, knocking out anyone she came across until she came to a large door that was labeled restricted. "Bardiche, scythe form, please."<p>

"YES, SIR!" The staff-like object she held illuminated yellow, and from the top of it a golden curved blade of energy formed, changing the staff into a scythe. Immediately, the girl swung it diagonally, cutting the door in two. Entering the room, the girl looked around until she found a computer.

"STATE A COMMAND."

"Please release the Lost Logia, the Jewel Seeds."

"RELEASING OF LOST LOGIA REQUIRES ADMIRAL RANK. PLEASE SHOW PROPER IDENTIFICATION."

"Bardiche."

"YES, SIR!"

The scythe shrank, turning into a small triangular device that fell into the girl's hand. It began to glow for a moment.

"LINKING WITH SHIP'S COMPUTER...LINK SUCCESSFUL. BYPASSING SECURITY...BYPASSING...BYPASSING... BYPASS SUCCESSFUL. SHALL I DISABLE THE COMPUTER AS WELL?"

"No, that's fine. Please eject the jewel seeds and disconnect now."

"YES, SIR. JEWEL SEEDS EJECTED."

And then they appeared. Floating before her were the seven jewel seeds that she needed. A small smile came to the girl's face. At last, her hunt was finally drawing to a close.

"WARNING. WHILE DELETING THE ACCESS LOGS, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE SHIP'S COMPUTER HAS RECORDED THE LOCATION OF THE GARDEN OF TIME AS OF APROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AGO. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT WE RETURN IMMEDIATELY TO REPORT THIS NEW INFORMATION."

"Agreed." '_Arf, can you hear me? I need to be transferred immediately.' She thought. And instantaneously, another voice appeared in her head._

_'About time! I'm so glad that you're alright! I can't teleport you from where you are now, the ship is in emergency lock down. You'll have to get away from the ship, then I can bring you home! Have you recovered the rest of the seeds?'_

_'Yes', The girl responded mentally, 'I've got them. I'm leaving the ship now; the moment I'm at a safe distance, teleport me.'_

_'Okay!'_

"Alright," The girl grabbed the jewel seeds, "Bardiche, let's hurry and-"

"Hold it! Don't move!"

The girl came to a stop as a pointed staff stopped inches from her face. "You're under arrest for destruction of TSAB property and theft!"

The girl slowly turned, and was immediately bound by magical ropes that sprung from the floor below her.

"This is Chrono to the bridge. I've apprehended the intruder in the restricted area. Requesting backup for transport!" Chrono's staff remained pointed at the girl's face as he glared at her. "Now, tell me. Who are you and why are you after the jewel seeds?"

The girl struggled against the ropes, to no avail. '_Arf! I messed up and got caught! You have to hurry and alert her; the TSAB know where our home is!'_

_'WHAT! You got caught! Don't worry, I'll tell-'_

The voice in her head cut off. "Sorry, but we can't have you calling for back-up. Now, I want you to answer me!"

"..."

The girl simply looked back at him, an unreadable expression in her eyes, an expression that slightly threw Chrono off. It wasn't hate or anger, but a look of determination, mixed with something else...

At that moment, several troops rushed into the room, their weapons honing in on the girl. "Good work, Chrono." Stepping into the room, the Admiral nodded at Chrono, then looked at their captive. "!" She couldn't help but gasp as her eyes widened in surprise. "No way, that's impossible... you died years ago!"

Chrono looked at the Admiral in wonder. It was a rare moment indeed that Admiral Lindy Harlaown showed her surprise while on the job. It was not a good sign.

Moving forward, Lindy stopped right in front of the girl and looked directly at her, staring deep into the child's burgundy eyes. "...Alicia?"

The moment the child's eyes widened, the ship shook violently, causing everyone in the room save the child to fall over. At that same time there was an explosion, and the wall burst open, a tall, wolf-like woman rushing in. "There you are! YAH!" Smashing the floor , the spell circle beneath the child vanished, as did the ropes that bound her.

The moment she was free, the girl's staff appeared back in her hands, "Thanks. Let's go, Arf!"

"WAIT!" Jumping to his feet, Chrono rushed after them, following them out of the building, but lost them. Chrono was fast, but the speed of the two women were on a whole different level. The moment they had exited the ship, they had disappeared into the clouds far below, their magic signatures vanishing.

"Chrono!" He turned as a brunette flew over to him. "Admiral Harlaown wants us to meet her at the bridge. The operation is about to begin."

"Right." Sparing one last glance at where the two women disappeared, Chrono returned to the ship along with the brunette. As they entered the bridge, the two of them saluted. "Enforcer Chrono Harlaown and Temporary Assistant Nanoha Takamichi reporting."

"Good. Get in line." The two moved behind the other present soldiers at her words. Admiral Lindy moved in front of them as she spoke, "As of this moment, Operation Garden Fire will now commence. You all know your orders: Find and capture Precia Testarossa, along with the blond haired child that we believe to be her daughter, Alicia Testarossa. Use of lethal force has been authorized. For this mission, you will be under the command of Admiral Graham, who will be leading the assault. You have your orders. Now MOVE OUT!"

Immediately, massive teleportation spells activated, the soldiers disappearing in an instant, all with the same determined expression. They would either succeed or die trying.

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><p>"We're back!" The moment the two women appeared back at their home, the blond, twin-tailed girl raised her staff and an enormous purple spell circle appeared on the floor beneath her. "Listen! People are coming to hurt us and our home! Activate, guards of the Holy Garden!"<p>

At her words, thousands upon thousands of mechanical sentry materialized into being, all moving into different positions, ready to defend the place that their master called home.

"Good. Come on, Arf. We have to go see mother!" Nodding, Arf followed after the girl as the two sped through their home, until they came to a large door. Pushing it open, she rushed forward as she felt strong magic from the other side of the Garden. They had come.

"Mother!" At the very back of the room, sitting on a large chair, was the woman she was looking for. A tall woman with long dark hair and equally dark clothes. She got to her feet as the child and Arf approached.

"Were you successful?" A single statement.

"Yes. Here you are, mother. The last of the jewel seeds."

The woman, Precia's eyes widened in delight as she took the jewels from the child that called her 'mother'. "Excellent. Now, NOW my dreams will finally be realized! I can finally go to Al-Hazard, the home of all magic and science! I can finally bring her back!"

The sound of an explosion brought the woman out of her fantasies. "What was that?"

"The TSAB, mother," The girl replied as Arf tensed for battle next to her, "They have found the location of our home and are staging an assault. I've activated the defenses, but they will only slow them down for a little bit. You have to get away, mother!"

"Foolish child. I cannot run now that my dreams are right in front of me! I'm moments away from being able to revive my precious Alicia! My precious daughter!"

The girl's eyes widened in shock, "...Ali..cia?" Behind her, the doors blew up as soldiers poured into the room. However, they were stopped by an invisible wall of energy midway through the chamber. Rushing forward, Chrono and the brunette stopped at the barrier, along with Admiral Lindy and Admiral Graham. And although their path was blocked, they could hear the conversation clearly.

The woman grinned maniacally. "Yes, Alicia. Your older sister. After all, you're nothing more than a copy of Alicia, a clone that I created myself. I wanted you to be Alicia, so I transferred her memories into your body and gave you extraordinary magical powers, but you were nothing but a failure. So, I decided to have you gather all of the jewel seeds, so that I can go to Al-Hazard and finally attain the power I need to bring her back. I thank you, you copy. You finally proved to be-"

Her words were cut off as the sound of shattering glass filled the room. Looking behind the child, Precia was shocked to see that the TSAB mages had managed to break one of the five barriers that blocked their path. She had thought that it would take them much, _much_ longer to do so. Precia's began to sweat. At this rate, she would not have enough time to initiate the spell to transfer her to Al-Hazard...

"-atter."

She came out of her thoughts as the voice of the girl before her came to her ears. "What? What did you say?"

The child's face was hidden behind her long hair. Arf was beside her, holding her hand, but the child shook it off as she lifted her face to meet her 'mother's'. Her face was lined with tears, but her eyes were resolute. "I said it doesn't matter. Even if I am just a copy of Alicia-oneesan, that doesn't change the fact that you are still my mother. If you were to ask, I would do anything for you. And if you need me to throw away my life, I will willingly give it up to see that you are safe and can bring back my elder sister. Because...you're my mother."

The room turned silent, even the TSAB mages and soldiers halting at the child's statement. It was a statement made with the utmost sincerity; one could hear the love that radiated from her voice.

Precia looked at the child for a full moment, the child she had never thought of as anything more than a tool to meet her own agenda. If Precia had been sane, she might have embraced the child, she might have cared for her. However, the Precia that stood in the center of the Garden of Time was not sane, and cared for nothing but her own goals. But even so, a small part of her, perhaps the only part of her soul that had not been corrupted came forth, for the briefest of moments.

"Very well. Take this." With a small wave of her hand, a glass tube appeared in the air and floated into child's outstretched hands. "Consider this a parting gift from me. After this, whether you live or die, you're free to do whatever you want. If you live, it will perhaps be useful in the future. But right now, I need you to stall them long enough for me to activate all of the jewel seeds and go to Al-Hazard."

"Yes, mother. Arf, go with mother."

"WHAT! There's no way that I'm leaving you behind! I'm staying right here, with you!"

"No." The child hugged Arf, then backed away slowly, "Go with mother. This is my only request. Please... when Alicia-oneesan returns to this world...please protect her. Protect her like you would protect me. Protect her and be by her side in my place."

Arf could see the begging look in her master's eyes. And slowly, with every once of willpower that her body possessed, she walked over to where Precia was beginning to form her spell.

"I swear, that I'll come back to you. No matter how long it takes, I will come back to your side. You're my only master, and that will never change! And I promise that I will protect Alicia-sama with my life, just like you would do!"

Smiling with tears in her eyes, the child turned to Precia, meeting her eyes for the briefest of moments, and then turned back to the TSAB and the barrier, which was now down to only one layer. Her eyes turning serious, she raised her staff, "And you, Bardiche? Will you fight by my side until the very end?"

"YES, SIR! I WILL FOLLOW YOUR ORDERS UNTIL THE VERY END!"

"Thank you, my friend. Now, we have to hold up the barrier until mother and Arf can get away!"

Activating her spell, she could feel it as the TSAB mages and soldiers pounded the barrier with spells and projectiles. However, her resolve was firm. Behind her, she could feel the magical energy of the jewel seeds as they came to life, connecting with one another as Precia demanded their power, twisting and weaving the energy together as her spell came together.

"Come on, Bardiche, just a little bit longer! We have to hold out!"

"YES, SIR!"

The ground began to shake as the spell began to activate, lightning crackled around the room as the spell circle grew brighter and brighter. And just as the final barrier broke and the girl was thrown back, the spell completed, and in a burst of blinding light, both Precia and Arf vanished. "Don't move!"

The girl was completely surrounded by soldiers, although they kept a distance away from her, slightly afraid to get within striking range of her staff. Unfortunately for them, this was a big error.

"Thunder Rage."

Lightning surged through the air immediately, striking down the soldiers and mages in an instant as it filled the entire room. After several moments, the lightning stopped, and only seven people remained standing. Both of the Admirals, Chrono, the brunette, two cat-like girls that were standing on either side of Admiral Graham, and the twin-tailed girl. At the same moment the girl released the spell, both Admirals released barrier spells that blocked the fierce lightning strikes.

"How dare you!" the brunette cried, brandishing her staff, "You'll pay for that!" She made to move forward, but was stopped by the look in the blond girl's eyes. No longer was there worry or doubt in them. No, now they were the eyes of someone who had accomplished her mission, the eyes of someone who was prepared to face her fate head on, and would fight to the very end. "You...who are you..?"

"Bardiche, Scythe Form."

"YES, SIR!"

The golden blade came to life once again as the girl spun the scythe around her, the scythe coming to a stop as it pointed at the mages before her.

"I am Fate Testarossa of the Garden of Time. Enemies of mother prepare yourselves. On my name and on my life, I won't let you proceed any further."

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><p>AN: And, there we have it. To be honest, I've had this story in my mind for a long time, and I finally decided to type it up. This Fic will be Fate-centric, and as you've probably noticed, will deviate from the normal canon of the anime and manga quite a bit. That said, while I'm brimming with ideas for this story, at the moment, it is not the highest on my priority list. That space is currently taken by In Need of Love, and Duty of the Heart. In other words, this story probably won't be updated as quick as the other two usually are.

At any rate, tell me what you think! It's my first time writing a Nanoha Fic, and any comments and critiques are more than welcome. But above all else, I just want to hear from you!

Until next time!


	2. What Has Come and Gone

A/N: Definition of FanFic: FICTION (a non realistic story) made by a FAN (an ardent follower and admirer) of another person's work, using that person's ideas to make an original story. As such, the only thing that the FAN owns is their respective original story and original characters; NOT the object(s) of their FANdom.

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><p>"<em>BLITZ ACTION."<em>

_Unparalleled speed. The ability to move faster than the human eye can track. At this point, it was the only thing keeping her from the death she was certain she'd face. Without pause, Fate narrowly avoided stream after stream of light that was whipping after her, as if trying to tie her up. However, while her movement couldn't bee seen by humans, cat-like eyes were honed in on her..._

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><p>"Ahn, I'm sooo tired! This is why I hate having check-ups!" Yawning, the brown haired girl complained as her wheelchair moved along the sidewalk. Behind her, a long haired woman sighed.<p>

"It cannot be helped, Hayate-sama. It is important for the doctors to do a thorough examination of your body every time just to be safe."

"But still," Next to her, a childish red-head in lolita threads complained, "It takes forever! We were there all day again! I'm sooo hungry!"

Laughing, Hayate agreed, "Me too, Vita. I couldn't eat anything before the exam."

"Don't worry you two, Shamal said that she would have dinner ready for our return." At Signum's words, the two girls' attitudes brightened considerably. Smiling to herself, Signum suddenly stopped, her expression turning serious. '_The winds have changed. Something's going to happen...soon.'_

"What's wrong, Signum?" Turning back to her older companion, Vita looked at her with an annoyed face, "The food's going to get cold!"

"Sorry; let's go."

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><p>"<em>Ugh! The slightest of cries came from Fate's lips as she crashed into a wall, however, before she hit the ground pink rings of light spun around her arms and legs, suspending her in the air, completely immobile. Before she could blink, several more rings surrounded her, her scythe Bardiche falling to the ground below her. Struggling with all of her strength she tried desperately to free herself, however the rings only tightened further, cutting into her skin.<em>

"_Please stop resisting! We don't want to hurt you anymore!" As the two cat-like women held their containment spells, the brunette moved closer to where Fate was bound. "There's no reason for us to fight anymore!"_

"_Nanoha-san, be careful," Chrono warned, his staff still trained on Fate, "We still don't know what she might try!"_

"_I won't! I can tell that she's not a bad person! She was just fighting for the sake of her family! If we just talk to each other, we can understand each other!"_

"_We can't afford to waste time! If we hurry now, we can still use the area Precia teleported from to try and trace her!"_

_And at that moment, for Fate, the idea of survival became irrelevant._

"_PURGE!"_

_The explosion caught everyone off guard, Fate's Barrier Jacket detonating with incredible force, smoke kicking up everywhere. Quickly descending to the ground, Nanoha waved away the smoke around her staff as everyone else put up shields to avoid the blast damage. As a result, she was the only one to see what was to occur in the next few seconds._

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><p>"We're home!" As Hayate, Signum, and Vita entered the home, they were met by a flurry of movement.<p>

"I'm glad you all are back! I'm sorry, but I need to hurry!" Rushing in and out of the room, the pretty young woman with short hair stopped just long enough to hug Hayate in greetings.

"Hayate, what's gotten you in such a hurry?" Signum asked, slowing Shamal by grabbing her hand.

"I'm sorry Signum, but I've run out of ingredients for dinner. I need to go and get them quickly so I can continue cooking!"

"Would you like us to get them?" Hayate asked, smiling the smile that warmed everyone's hearts.

"It would be a great help, "Shamal conceded, "But are you sure? You just returned, after all..."

"It's not a problem, "Hayate smiled, "Besides, I like looking at the evening sky. Vita, would you accompany me? I think Shamal might need Signum's help finishing up dinner."

"Of course! We wouldn't let you go by yourself! Let's go!"

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><p>"<em>Fate-chan, please..." Fate was weaving a spell, one far more powerful than any of the ones that Nanoha had seen her cast during their battle. Nanoha could see the sorrow in the girl's eyes, however that sorrow was coupled with sheer determination and strength, even while her body physically lacked it.<em>

_Slowly, Fate shook her head, "I'm sorry, Nanoha-san, but I will protect my family no matter what. THUNDER FALL!" _

_The garden began to rumble, lightning ripping through the ceiling, tearing apart everything in its wake, wind blowing away the smoke that had filled the room._

"_Nanoha, you have to move away from there," Chrono cried, his barrier deflecting the lightning that was close to him, "The entire garden is crumbling!"_

"_Fate-chan! Please stop! This isn't the only way!" Rushing forward, Nanoha pulled Fate into an embrace, tears in her eyes, "I can tell! You don't want to hurt anyone! This isn't what you want!"_

"_Chrono," Admiral Lindy shouted above the thunder, "Can you teleport us all back to the Ship?"_

"_There's no way! With the lightning combined with the interference from the garden itself, I can't get teleport us! It's all we can do to hold off the lightning!"_

"_FATE-CHAN!" Fate looked at the girl who was clinging to her. A small, sad smile appeared on her face. _

"_Nanoha-san, you are a kind person. I wish that we could have met earlier. But is too late, now. This is the path that I've chosen..." Behind her the wall exploded, revealing the void of imaginary space that existed outside the garden, a void that guaranteed death to any mage that would be caught in it. Fate quickly pushed Nanoha away, the brunette tumbling into Chrono._

"_Yes, this is my path. I have no regrets..." Despite herself, she couldn't help but spare a glance at the fallen soldiers and the seven who still remained._

"_SIR. WE STILL HAVE ENOUGH POWER. YOU ARE STILL CAPABLE OF TELEPORTATION. YOUR ORDERS SIR?"_

_Fate smiled, "Thank you, Bardiche, for having stayed by my side, and for always helping me along the way. This is going to take everything we've got. Farewell, my friend."_

"_MID-CHILDA COORDINATES LOCKED IN. IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR, SIR!''_

_And for the final time, she raised her staff._

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><p>"Is that everything?" Looking through the basket, Vita checked off the items on the list she held, "Yup, looks like it. Now let's hurry back so we can eat!"<p>

"Really, Vita, food is all you think about!" Chided Hayate, however, that chide was quickly dismissed by her rumbling stomach. "On second thought, let's hurry home, shall we?"

Nodding, Vita took hold of the wheelchair and began pushing it forward. Despite her statements about hurrying home, the small girl propelled the chair at a moderately slow speed, always mindful of Hayate.

* * *

><p><em>In a surge of energy, an enormous spell circle appeared underneath everyone save Fate. Chrono looked at her in shock, "What are you doing, Fate Testarossa!" He tried to rush her, but came to a stop as the spell's barrier pushed him back.<em>

_Admiral Lindy looked at her in shock, "This...a teleportation spell? STOP! You shouldn't have the energy left for this big a spell! The damage to your body will be too much! You won't have the power to get yourself away-! No, You can't!"_

_Ignoring her, Fate carried on, sweat matting her face. "Ngh!" The spell circle grew brighter and brighter, weaving together, obeying the will of its caster._

"_FATE!" That was the last thing she heard as the spell completed, Bardiche shattering as every member of the TSAB in the room was teleported to Mid-Childa._

"_Falling to her knees, her eyes began to dim as she panted. Mentally and physically drained, she fell on her back. Her eyes barely registered the imaginary space that was all around her by now. The Garden of Time was almost completely gone, and a vortex had formed, drawing everything in at a very quick pace._

"_Ah...I forgot...Mother's gift..." Mustering the last of her strength, she reached into her clothes, and pulled out the item Precia had given her. "Thank the gods...it didn't break..." She couldn't see, but just holding it close to her chest she could feel that it was okay._

_'Don't worry. I won't let you die. I'll protect you, no matter what!'_

_As her consciousness slowly faded, a warm, caring sensation engulfed her, a feeling that comforted her even though she knew the endless void of imaginary space was about to engulf her. It was a light feeling, as if something was taking away all of the pain. And for the briefest of moments, she thought she heard a voice calling out to her, assuring that everything would be okay as a blue aura began to engulf her body._

"_What...is..." Before she could even think about what was happening, everything slipped into darkness..._

* * *

><p>It happened in an instant. Vita and Hayate were almost home when they both felt the force of a high-level magic spell activating. In that same instant, Vita had spun around towards the direction of the power, a long mallet-like object appearing in her hands.<p>

"**Gefängnis der Magie."**

With that phrase, the area around them was enveloped in a force-field, a powerful one that kept everyone inside from escaping, and prevented outside interference. However, what happened next shocked both Vita and Hayate.

The Force-field shattered, as if it were cheap glass.

As soon as it did, a small golden-yellow light descended from the skies with alarming speed and force, falling with a small explosion into a nearby alley. As the smoke and dust kicked up, alarms began to fill the air. Once again, Vita put up a force-field.

"Hayate, stay here! I'm going to-"

"No! I'm coming, too!"

"No way! It whatever that was, it's really strong! You could- HEY!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Hayate had wheeled past her, entering the alley. "Dammit!" Rushing after her, Vita jumped in front of her as Hayate suddenly came to a stop. "What do you think you're doing, Hayate! It's too dangerous!"

"That doesn't matter! That girl, she's hurt!"

"Eh?"

Turning to where Hayate was looking, Vita found a shocking sight, one that made her chest hurt. "What the..." In the very center of the crash area lay a young girl. Her clothes were bloody and tattered, her blond hair a mess. Vita could tell immediately that the young girl had been engaged in battle very recently. She could feel a magic aura around the girl. Although very weak, almost non-existent, the aura was sporadically flowing around the girl, attempting to heal her many injuries.

Her injuries...

The sight of them made Hayate feel sick. The child was bleeding heavily in many areas, bruised and burned in many others. The largest wound was just below her chest. Vita could tell that she had been hit by a very powerful projectile spell and had continued to do battle. It was evident from how the wound had opened up. Hayate looked at Vita, "We have to get her help right away! Vita, can you rush her to the hospital?"

"I don't think taking her to the hospital is the best course of action." The two girls spun around as from the entrance of the alley Signum appeared, a large, dangerous sword in hand. "We felt Vita's force-field just after the surge of magic energy, so I came to check on you two."

Hayate looked at Signum with confused and worried eyes, "Why not! She needs help fast!"

Signum shook her head, "On my way here, I spotted several Time-Space Administration Bureau soldiers scouting out the area, searching for someone. Undoubtedly, they are looking for this girl, possibly aware of her injured state. If we were to take her to the hospital, this child would likely be found and captured by them immediately afterwards."

Hayate nodded, understanding what Signum was saying. "Then we will take her in."

"Are you sure, Hayate-sama? If we were to take this girl in, we would be putting ourselves at risk. Not only would we be putting ourselves at risk of being red-flagged by the TSAB, but there is the high possibility that this girl is dangerous. There's no doubt that she is a mage, and if so, she may attack us. As your guardian, I can't advise this course of action."

"Signum! How could you say that!" Hayate was shocked and appalled by her words, but Vita understood what she meant.

"Signum's not being mean," Vita said after a moment, "she just wants you to make a decision after knowing all of the risks involved. We're your loyal knights; our duty is to protect you from any kind of harm, whether it be past, present, or future. And Signum is the most valiant of the three of us; she would never willingly abandon an injured person in front of her, even if she thinks it would be dangerous."

Hayate nodded, an apologetic look gracing her face, "Then let's hurry and take her home. I know that I don't have the battle experience that you two have, but I can't feel that this girl a danger to us." Then, she smiled at the two of them, "Besides, you are the Wolkenritter. I know that you are capable of handling anything that might happen. Now, quickly, Vita, please pick her up."

Nodding, Vita slowly, gently picked the girl up, careful not to aggravate her wounds any more than necessary. '_She's cold. Her body's completely cold...'_ Subconsciously, she held the girl closer to her, as if trying to warm her. As she did so, the girl's hair fell away from her face, revealing a small, very pretty golden circlet. Paying it no mind, Vita stood up straight, "Alright, I got her."

Giving Vita and Hayate a nod, Signum raised her sword and with a gust of wind, the four disappeared, never noticing the pair of eyes that were trained on them the entire time.

"..." With a graceful landing, the girl jumped down from her spot on one of the roofs above the alley. "They seem like kind people, especially that 'Hayate' girl. If they had tried to harm Fate-sama in any way, or if they had tried to take her somewhere she would be found by the TSAB, I would have killed them on the spot and left with Fate-sama again..."

A dark look came to the girl's yellow eyes, "...Still, I don't like this. If only I had time to access the _Silver Cross_ before I teleported us, I would have more than enough magic left to protect Fate-sama without hiding in the shadows, preparing for stealth attacks. *sigh* But never mind. I need to return to Fate-sama's side. Fate-sama..."

Now, a sorrowful look crossed the girl's face. "I'm so sorry, Fate-sama. Because of me, you-!" Spinning, she turned to the alley entrance just as the force-field around the area shattered once again, quickly replaced by a new, weaker one. Seconds later, a dozen TSAB soldiers rushed in, weapons at the ready. One of them stepped forward.

"Are you the one that initiated a teleportation spell, as well as put up that force-field? We're with the Time-Space Administration Bureau. I'm afraid that we're going to have to bring you in for questioning. We're currently investigating the massive dimensional transfer that occurred a few moments ago. I'm afraid that we need you to come with us to answer some questions..."

The girl looked at them with impassive eyes. "TSAB... so you don't know about Fate-sama..." The soldiers were shocked by the sudden, blunt statement, "Fate? Fate Testarossa! She's still alive!" But that surprise turned to horror as she continued, "That _is _beneficial for us. Now to get rid of loose ends."

Raising her hand, a staff appeared in it, igniting into a scythe that very much resembled Bardiche.

"Fire!" Immediately, dozens of spells were shot off at the girl, all with the intent to inflict severe damage. However, at that same moment, a book had appeared at the girl's side, a book that had sealed the soldier's fate as the girl pointed the scythe at the multitude of them.

"-ZERO." That was the last thing the soldier in front heard as a bright light blinded them, and then they were gone, along with their spells, evaporated by the sheer power of the burst of energy.

"Gah!" The few that weren't in the direct line of the blast were knocked off their feet, desperately clutching their chests before becoming motionless. Around them, the sound of something short-circuiting filled the air as lights and signs shut off.

"...Foolish mages." Sighing, she brushed her silvery white hair out of her face, her hand brushing against a golden circlet on her forehead, one identical to the one on fate's forehead. "I need to hurry back to Fate-sama. It's not good to be apart for too long." Slashing her scythe, the barrier disappeared, and the girl disappeared into the darkening sky, the book disappearing just like it first appeared.

* * *

><p>Fate awoke with a start. Her body was surging with pain. Pushing past it, she tried to sit up.<p>

"Ah, don't push yourself! You might open your wounds back up!" The moment she heard the voice, a sharp pain shot through her chest. "!" Clutching the sheets beneath her, she cried out, but no sound came to her lips.

"Ah, don't try to move too quickly! The wound on your chest opened again, here, let me bandage it again..." Wincing, she kept her eyes closed as she felt hands gently move across her body.

"...alright, that should do it. How does it feel?"

Opening her eyes, Fate took in the area around her. She was in a warmly painted room, amass with stuffed animals and crayon pictures. The room gave off a warm, secure feeling, a feeling that Fate was unaccustomed to. Wincing, she tried to sit up again.

"Ah, let me help." Slowly, with the help of the same gentle hands, Fate managed to sit up, leaning against the wall. She turned to the person who had been helping her.

"...!" Once again, she tried to say something, yet nothing came out. Surprised, her hand came to her throat. Fate gave the woman a questioning look.

"Are you unable to speak? It might be because of the ordeal you went through. It's okay, I'm sure that there's a lot of things that you have questions about. However, let's start with a small check-up to make sure that there was no damage to your mind, okay?"

Fate nodded. She didn't know where she was, but it was safe to assume that she had been captured by the TSAB. For some reason, she could sense the magical energy that the woman in front of her possessed. She thought it strange that they would be so kind as to place her in such a nice room, but it was probably a tactic to make her comply with their wishes. Still, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered.

"Alright, then. My name is Shamal. Shamal Yagami. Can you remember your name?"

*Nod*

"That's a good start. Can you remember where you are from? Your family?"

Fate's expression was impassive, the girl trying very hard not to recall her mother's words from not too long ago. She was on her own, for however long she might live. She had no family.

Shamal noticed Fate tense up slightly, "I see. Then, do you remember what happened? How you got here?"

Fate looked at her questioningly once again. She remembered what happened fine, but she of course had no idea how she arrived in this room after she lost consciousness. To be honest, she was fully prepared to have died at the Garden.

Shamal seemed to take her confusion as a 'no.' "That's not good. Perhaps your memory was affected after all. Hold on, allow me to use my magic to-!"

Shamal immediately jumped back as a scythe sliced through the air exactly where her hand had been outstretched a split-second ago. In that same instant, Signum and Vita burst through the door, weapons at the ready. Fate, unable to move, could only look in surprise at the silverish haired girl whom was holding her firmly, albeit gently with one arm while brandishing her scythe at Shamal with the other.

"I won't allow you to harm Fate-sama!"

A/N: And with this, the second chapter is finished. I have a lot of ideas for this, and I'm trying not to rush things. Let me know how you feel so far, as well as anything you might want to say, or ideas you may have.

Happy New Years!


	3. Nice to Meet You

A/N: Definition of FanFic: FICTION (a non realistic story) made by a FAN (an ardent follower and admirer) of another person's work, using that person's ideas to make an original story. As such, the only thing that the FAN owns is their respective original story and original characters; NOT the object(s) of their FANdom.

* * *

><p>It was as if the child was on fire, her entire body writhing in pain in her semi-conscious state. The pain was unbearable, the only thing worse being the nightmares that plagued her mind while the pain scorched her body. If she had been fully conscious, even she would have been begging for death, this girl who feared virtually nothing and whose determination knew no bounds. She could not tell what was going on, thoughts were flying around her mind faster than her brain could interpret them. As such, she was almost completely oblivious to the voices that surrounded her.<p>

"-be fine, she's not a mage, so-"

"-take her in, we-"

"-agree, but what if they-"

"-to worry, the DNA-"

"-not a mage, then why-"

"-secret, she doesn't know herself-"

"-her past? Is there-"

"-of darkness. I'm going to-"

"-the doctors? And identification-"

"-taken care of. I'll still be by her side-"

"-least tell us her real name! We can't-"

"-is Testarossa. Fate Testarossa. Beautiful, isn't it?"

"-that's too obvious. But, I think that we can still-"

"-agree, I like it. Then, it will be-"

"-take care of it. I'm entrusting her to you while-"

"-protect her like we do Hayate. The two are-"

"-of her emotions. I won't say why, but-"

"-aren't you telling us? You said she's not-"

"-and she's not. She's...special. I'll tell you-"

"-fair enough. Are all of the papers and-"

"-started then. I'll get started then."

The last thing that she was aware of was the most sincere apology she had ever heard and the lightest of sensations on her forehead, and then everything faded to nothingness...

* * *

><p>"What's on your mind, Shamal?" Signum noted the deep look Shamal had as she stared out of the window. She had watching the short haired girl for a while now, but Shamal had just kept staring out of the window as she subconsciously shuffled the papers that she held in her hands.<p>

Shamal sighed, and looked over to Signum. "I'm just looking at all of the information that Iris left me about that child. I can't tell you much because of the magical agreement that we made, but..." Her words drifted off as her gaze moved to the blond child that was once again laying peacefully on the bed, seemingly now asleep.

It had surprised everyone when the girl had suddenly began convulsing as she was held by the silver-haired girl, Iris. However, what surprised Shamal even more than that was the feeling of horror and pain in her chest she had felt. And she still didn't know why she had felt that way.

Signum noticed the look on Shamal's face as she gazed at the blond child, and her eyes widened ever so slightly. It was very similar to the look that was on her face whenever she was watching over Hayate. At first, she hadn't recognized what the look was the her companion was expressing. However, after time, she realized that it was a look of warmth and compassion. Two feelings that Wolkenritter rarely showed. In fact, it was Hayate herself that reminded them that they had those emotions, just by her simple kindness. "...Both you and Hayate-sama were very adamant about taking in the girl. What is it that makes you two so determined about it?"

"...For Hayate, I think it was because she saw herself in the child. Someone else who was all alone and needed help. Someone who might also be the first real friend that she has. As for me...Something about this girl draws me to her. It's a strange, warm feeling. A feeling that makes me want to protect her, and make sure that nothing ever harms her. Of course, after reading what Iris left me about her, that feeling has increased drastically..."

"A feeling of wanting to protect her? Similar our duty as Wolkenritter?"

Shamal frowned slightly, "It is hard to explain the difference. As Wolkenritter, it is our duty to protect and aid our masters. It is something that we have to do, no matter what. Well, with Hayate, we also _want _to protect her, to repay her kindness to us. However, with this girl, it is not a feeling of duty, rather something more like a _need._ A need to protect and take care of her. A _desire_ to protect and take care of her."

"Hm." Signum thought deeply about the way that Shamal described her emotions, a frown etching her face slightly as she looked at the blond child lying on the bed. Shamal's statement had verified something that had been bothering her, as well as coincided with some of the emotions that were running through her. "I think I understand what you mean. I think that you're not the only one who feels like that. When we brought her here, I noticed Vita display a similar sort of affection for the girl, although not verbally. Shamal...who _is _this girl? I find it very hard to accept that this girl is not some kind of mage when she can make even us feel like this. Not only that, but she seems...familiar, somehow..."

If there were one thing about the Wolkenritter, it was their ties to each other. They could count the times that any one of them had hidden something from the others on one finger. However, both Signum and Vita, and even Hayate knew of the promise that Shamal had made with the silver-haired Iris. Iris had given Shamal information. What that information entailed was known only to Iris and Shamal. However, Shamal, in accordance to her promise, was not to reveal any of the information she had received, except under predefined conditions. And with her agreement to the conditions, a magically binding promise was made. Everyone else was fine with this arrangement. The fact that at least one of them had information about the blond child was enough. Knowledge was power, and they knew that Shamal was the best person to use this information to keep them all safe.

That's why none of them had any problems with the fact that Shamal often chose her words slowly and carefully when it concerned the small girl. "All I can say...is that this child is special. _Especially _to us. While I can't say how, this girl is...similar to us. Although I know for a fact that she's not a mage, as this child does not have a linker core."

Signum nodded in acceptance. "I'll leave you alone with her then. We don't want to crowd her when she wakes up. It's going to be hard enough on her as it is. I'll ask Hayate-sama and Vita to give you some space as well."

Shamal nodded as she watched Signum leave the room. With a sigh, she turned back to the other occupant of the room, and let out a startled gasp. The blond child whom had been the main topic of the conversation was sitting up on the bed, gazing at her with no expression whatsoever.

Shamal's face brightened as she slowly walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it. "I'm glad to see that you are finally awake! We were worried about you."

The blond girl looked at her questioningly, her eyes full of curiosity and confusion. Shamal smiled sadly at her.

'_So her memories were really erased.'_ "That's okay, let's just take it slowly. My name is Shamal Yagami, and this is the Yagami household." At seeing her nod, Shamal continued, "There are a lot of things that I need to tell you, but there is something that you need to know and understand first, okay?" Shamal was speaking softly yet firmly, signifying to the girl that what she had to say was very important.

The girl looked directly into her eyes and nodded.

Shamal slowly took the girl's hand into her own. The child flinched for a second, but didn't pull away from her. "There were a lot of things that happened that you don't have any memories of. A lot of bad things that if I could, I would make it so they never happened to you. But now we will take care of you and won't let anything hurt you ever again. Now, you're part of the Yagami family as well...Tessa Yagami."

The child's eyes widened in surprise as Shamal embraced her gently, yet tightly. Even if she had no memories, her body told her that this was a gesture that she was unfamiliar with. And yet at the same time, it was a pleasant, warm feeling. It was as if her body and soul were crying out in happiness at that moment. And then it was Shamal's turn to be surprised as the child embraced her back.

The embrace lasted a long while, both enjoying the warm feeling until at last they were brought back by the lightest of sounds from the child's tummy. Shamal immediately jumped up, "Oh my, of course you must be hungry! I'll get some food. You just relax here for a moment, Tessa. I'll be right back."

* * *

><p>After watching the woman depart, the child simply sat on the bed, looking all around the room that she was in, taking note of all of the little things, until her eyes stopped on a mirror near a desk.<p>

After a few moments of deliberation, the girl slowly and carefully climbed out of the bed. She noted that her body was bandaged all over. Touching them, she winced slightly as she felt a dull pain. Shaking it off, she got to her feet, and almost immediately fell to the floor, her face heading right for the desk! "!"

*thump*

"Geez, what are you doing? You could've hurt yourself!"

Vita had just entered the room when she saw the girl fall. With blinding speed, she moved over and caught her just before the child could crash into the desk. "Are you all right?"

Slowly, the child opened her eyes and Vita saw the most beautiful shade of red she had ever seen as she gazed into her eyes for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she came back to reality as the girl broke her gaze looking down at her own legs. Vita followed her look. "Your not fully healed yet. You shouldn't try to get out of the bed." Lifting her up, Vita placed the girl back on to the bed and helped her to get comfortable. After she did, the girl gave Vita a gentle smile followed by a questioning look.

"Ah, that's right, I almost forgot. I'm Vita. Vita Yagami. I came in here to meet you, since you're part of our family now. Did Shamal tell you already?"

The blonde nodded, and opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. Surprise and worry lit her face.

"It seems that you still can't speak yet, Tessa." The two girls turned around as Shamal, Hayate, and Signum entered the room. Shamal set a bowl of soup on the desk. "I had a feeling that this might still be the case, so we bought something for you."

Moving over next to the bed, Hayate pulled out a thin gift wrapped box and handed it to the girl. "It's nice to finally meet you! My name is Hayate. Hayate Yagami. Go ahead, open your gift!"

Nodding, the girl slowly and carefully opened up the gift to reveal a beautiful sketchbook along with a very nice set of colored pencils. The girl looked at them (or rather, Shamal) in confusion. Understanding, Shamal gave her a warm smile, "It's a sketch book and colored pencils. You can use it to draw, as well as to write out things that you want to say."

Understanding lit her eyes, as well as happiness as she took out a blue pencil and opened the sketchbook to the first page and began writing. After a few moments, she put the pencil down, and turned the sketchbook so everyone could read what she wrote: ("It is nice to meet all of you! Thank you for your gift, as well as including me into your family! My name is Tessa. Tessa Yagami. Please watch over me!)

Shamal and Vita smiled in satisfaction, while Signum nodded, "It is nice to meet you too, Tessa-san. I am Signum Yagami. If you ever need any help, do be sure to ask."

"Um..."

Everyone turned to Hayate, who was looking at them questioningly. "I can't understand what Tessa wrote. What kind of language is that?"

Shamal looked at the sketchbook again. "Ah! That's why! Tessa-chan wrote it all in Mid-Childan. Tessa-chan, are you capable of writing in Japanese or English?"

Tessa (now that she has acknowledged herself as such) thought about it for a moment, then shook her head and wrote some more. This time, Signum spoke up. "She says that while she can understand what we are saying just fine, she can only write in the one language, which is Mid-Childan. She also apologizes to you Hayate-sama, for not being able to properly reply to you in a way that you can understand."

Hayate's eyes opened wide with surprise. It was the first time someone her age had actually been considerate of her feelings openly. Pushing herself out of her wheelchair, she climbed onto the bed with Tessa and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Tessa," She whispered in her ear, "it makes me happy that you're concerned about my feelings. I just know that we're going to be the best of friends!"

While Signum and Vita watched the two of them with a small smile on her face, Shamal made a mental note about what she needed to teach Tessa first. '_This means that I might need to teach her Belkan before anything else. I'm glad that everyone seems to like her.'_

With that, the night went on, everyone eating and talking with each other until it was time for Hayate to go to bed. At first, she had been adamant about sleeping in the same room as Tessa, but Shamal managed to get her to agree to sleep in her own room, at least for that night. Coincidentally, the room that Tessa was in was Shamal's room.

Tessa was staring out the window at the stars when Shamal returned to the room. Tessa smiled at her in greetings. Shamal smiled back, and then raised her hand. The moment she did so, a green aura enveloped the room. Tessa looked at her questioningly, but unsurprised.

"It seems like you still recognize magic. That's good." She sat down on the bed next to Tessa and took her hand. '_Can you hear me, Tessa-chan?'_

Tessa's eyes lit with surprise. Shamal hadn't spoken a word, but Tessa could hear her perfectly. '_Um...yes, I can hear you just fine...can you hear me? My thoughts..?'_

Shamal nodded. "Yes. Now that I've connected our minds, we should be able to speak to each other by using our thoughts. I told you earlier that there were a lot of things that I needed to tell you, and even more things that I need to teach you. While a lot of our lessons will be during the day, the more important ones will usually take place during the night, like this. There are several reasons, but the most important one is that no one else is to know the things that we're going to be learning and discussing. Like I said, it is very important that you do not talk about anything we learn in front of the others."

'_I understand, Shamal-san.'_

"Okay. Next, I need to tell you something else. Have you noticed the circlet that's on your head?"

*nod*

"That circlet is very, very important, and doesn't come off at all. And also, it shocks anyone that tries to forcefully take it off. It really hurts, so don't try to take it off, okay?

'_Yes, ma'am. Why is it so important?'_

"That I don't know. I just know that it's a part of who you are, and should never come off. Now, the first thing I want you to do tonight is to look at this book. I need to find out if you can read what is written in it."

Holding out her hand, a dark colored, large book appeared in Shamal's grasp and she handed it to Tessa.

The moment it was in Tessa's hand, the circlet on her head began to glow for the briefest of moments; likewise, the book did also.

Tessa could feel that there was something about this book, something that was strong, and yet also felt...off, somehow...

'_Shamal-san...what is this book? I can feel a strange power from it, but something feels...off somehow. I don't know how to describe it...'_

Shamal's eyes widened slightly. She was surprised that Tessa could sense the power of the book. "This book is an ancient, magical book from the old times. Tessa-chan, please open it up to the first page and see if anything appears on the page. If it does, please read it to me, word for word."

With a nod, Tessa opened the book like she was told. And as she began to read off what was on the page, Shamal's eyes widened more and more with each word.

'_Silver Cross External Administration Activated._

_Administrator: STROSEK IRIS: Confirmed._

_Administrator: DRIVER TESSA YAGAMI: Confirmed._

_Administrator Access: Acknowledged._

_Tome of The Night Sky: Administrator Mode_

_Current Master: Hayate Yagami._

_Current Guardians: Belkan Knight: Signum, Belkan Knight: Shamal, Belkan Knight: Vita.'_

By the time Tessa finished, Shamal was embracing her tightly. Tessa was confused, but didn't question it. At the same time, a thousand thoughts were flying through Shamal's mind, but they all came back to the same one in the end. _'So Iris was really telling the truth. But...why didn't any of us know about this..? How can she know more about the Tome of The Night Sky than us, its guardians? And, How is Tessa wrapped up in all of this? Why did it refer to her as a 'Driver'?'_ "Tessa-chan, can I see the book, please?"

The moment Tessa handed the book back to Shamal, it began to glow, and reverted back to its 'normal' mode. '_As I expected. If it's anyone other than Tessa, it returns to normal. I definitely need to look into this as soon as Tessa is able to. I have a feeling that We're missing more information about the Tome than we realized.'_ "Alright, Tessa-chan. For now, since you still need your rest, we'll just talk about some of the simple things. So let's talk about all of us. Um, Tessa-chan?"

Tessa, who had been messing with the underneath of her shirt jumped. _'I'm sorry, Shamal-san. I was distracted by...'_

Shamal noticed the slightly confused look on her face. "Tessa-chan, is there something the matter? Are you still not feeling well? If there is something wrong, please tell me. I care about you."

Tessa blushed slightly. Her whole body felt warm for some reason, and she couldn't help the smile that came to her face. _'Thank you, Shamal-san. I'm fine, I was just curious about something. Shall we continue with our lesson?'_

Shamal nodded, and the two of them talked for a long time about the Wolkenritter, Hayate, the Tome, and various other things. By the time they were finished, it was clear that Tessa needed more rest than she had realized and drifted off to sleep. Giggling to herself, Shamal prepared herself for bed, and gently moved Tessa over to one side of the bed before she climbed into it herself, turning off the lights as she did.

After a couple of minutes, Shamal felt something she wasn't used to. Turning to the source, she found that Tessa had moved over and cuddled up to her, seeking warmth in her sleep, her arm wrapping around the older woman. As for Shamal, she had never felt the protective feelings that she was feeling at this moment, and all she knew was that she would protect this child with everything that she could. Instinctively, she pulled Tessa closer; as she did so, she noticed something that caught her sharp mind. On Tessa's right side, just below her ribcage was a small marking in the shape of a purple butterfly. If it was just that, she _might_ not have been too concerned. If it was just that. However, there was a very good reason why it caught and retained her attention. And in actuality, that reason was the same reason that Tessa had been preoccupied earlier.

That butterfly mark hadn't been there before.

* * *

><p>AN: And, were done. I've got lots of ideas where to go from here. Tell me what you think.


End file.
